Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Palghat HG 2
- Date Span
- 1853-54
- Colour
- Red
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 164
- Figure
- 2
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Palghat HG 2 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Palghat HG 2 handstamp
Pal ghat town is in Malabar District, Madras Presidency, 335 miles from Madras, and situated 10°46' N and 76°39° E. It changed hands between Haidar Ali and the British between 1757 and 1790, when it was captured by Colonel Stuart, and used as a base for the operations which ended with the fall of Seringapatam. It was garrisoned by the British until the middle of the 19th century.
Palghat HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Palghat — the present-day Palakkad — in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1853 to 1854. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 2".
A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for palghat pre stamp covers, palghat postal history or "Palghat HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Palghat marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Palghat HG 2 handstamp?
- Palghat HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Palghat (modern Palakkad) in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1853 to 1854. The "HG 2" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in red.
- How rare is Palghat HG 2?
- Palghat HG 2 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance.
- What does a Palghat pre stamp cover with HG 2 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Palghat is a folded letter or envelope carried before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, with postage shown entirely by hand-struck marks like HG 2. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit a Palghat HG 2 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1853-54). If your cover is not already recorded, you can submit front and back photographs through the census form on this page; every submission is editor-reviewed before publication.
Same office
Other recorded marks at Palghat
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Palghat are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Palghat HG 2, Palghat HG2, Palghat Giles 2, Palakkad postal history, Palghat handstamp, Palghat pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Palghat HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/palghat/hg-2 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026